Arrangement of the lever half-beam of steam-engines



W. A. LIGH'IHALL, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK.

ARRANGEMENT 0F THE LEVER kII.AIIIl5-IBEAlVI OF STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 6,811, dated October 23, 1849.

pump, A' A the pillow block fastened to the' keelsons and bottom of the vessel B the beam center, G. the center of attachment to the piston or prime mover, D the upper center for connecting rod E, F the crank pin, G the shaft center.

My improvement consists in reversing or inverting the pendulum half beam, by fixing or placing the main beam center B below instead of above, by whichmeans I employ a different order of lever, than when working the beam as a hanging or pendulum half beam, because, in the latter the weight or resistance to be overcome is between the power and the fulcrum, whereas in my improved application of the half beam and mode of working the same, the power is applied between the fulcrum and the weight or resistance to be overcome which mode of applying the power enables me to work a long crank instead of a short one.

The great advantages in regard to diminished friction, lessening of weight, greater facility of fastening or holding the engine, when working a long crank instead of a short one, together with the fact of doing so with the half beam instead of the whole beam, are too well known and appreciated by practical men and those 4skilled in the art of steam engineering to require their being set forth at large. It might however at first sight appear that in working this order of lever (to wit where the power is applied between the fulcrum and weight) that though velocity was gained, yet that power was lost, but when we convert the reciproeating or vibrating motion of the beam into a rotary motion by means of a crank the power lost on the beam is regained by the lengthening of the crank lessening the weight and friction and giving greater ease of movement.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The arrangement of a horizontal cylin- 'der, with a lever half beam having its fulcrum at its lower end, and connecting rod attachment at its upper end, with crank and shaft above the cylinder, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.

WM. A. LIGHTHALL.

Signed in the presence of- HAMILTON MoR'roN, ADoLPHUs GORI-IAM. 

